Gallery: The Best of the Year's Otherworldly Science Images
Jerry Mcbride/PA Wire/ZUMA Press01BAScience-20150806-zaa-p134-384-04
*Animas River*. In what was supposed to be a routine inspection, EPA officials released [three million gallons of wastewater](https://www.wired.com/2015/08/epa-accidentally-turned-river-toxicand-orange/) into one of Colorado’s most scenic rivers. The wastewater---tainted with arsenic, cadmium, lead, and other metals---turned the Animas River sickly orange for days. The toxins still haven’t completely dissipated, and the river’s worst affected tributary is a Superfund candidate.
British Antarctic Survey02YearinScience-BritishAntarcticSurvery-01
*Antarctica Research Station*. The continent of Antarctica is not exactly for know its architecture. It is known for snow, cold, ice, and did we mention snow? But Britain's [Halley VI research station](https://www.wired.com/2015/10/britains-antarctic-research-station-looks-like-a-spaceship/), which looks like a candy-colored six-legged creature, is designed for both charm and Antarctica’s harsh environment. The station sits on hydraulic stilts that lifts the the scientists above accumulating snow. And the stilts themselves are on giant skis, so the station can move around on Antarctica’s ice shelf.
NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI03YearinScience-05
*Pluto*. Remember when Pluto was a vaguely blue icy ball in textbooks? That’s so 2014. NASA has been releasing stunning photos of Pluto every few weeks since New Horizon’s flyby in July, but one of the most iconic is one of the first: a full-on view of Pluto in all its glory, with its craters and mountains and that massive heart-shaped plain. Icy blue ball no more.
<a href="http://swiked.tumblr.com/post/112073818575/guys-please-help-me-is-this-dress-white-and">swiked</a>04BAScience-theDress-09
*The Dress*. Internet memes can do lot of things, but they rarely reduce us to existential spasms and make us confront the subjectiveness of our perceived realities. But then the dress came along and yeah, you remember. How can you not. For a refresher on the science of why this dress is both blue/black and gold/white, [we’ve got you covered, too](https://www.wired.com/2015/02/science-one-agrees-color-dress/).
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona05YearinScience-Mars-03
*Mars*. These Martian mountains sure are pretty. They also show evidence that the [red planet has running water](https://www.wired.com/2015/09/nasa-salty-liquid-water-on-mars/). Draw your eyes to those dark, narrow streaks. Those reappear every summer, and disappear in the winter. It’s not much water, pretty much just a dribble, and tainted with salt. So calm down, Mark Watney, that place is nowhere near ready to colonize.
Stuart Palley06YearinScience-StuartPalley-01
*Wildfires*. El Niño is here, so it’s a little hard to remember what it was like earlier this year: Hot, dry, burning. Nationwide, [wildfires](https://www.wired.com/2015/08/stuart-palley-terra-flamma-hellish-beauty-california-wildfires-drought/) consumed over seven *million* acres of land. This image is from the Way Fire, which burned over 4000 acres near the town of Wofford Heights, in the Lower Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Reuben Wu07YearInScience-reuben-wu-02
*Blue Lava*. If you ever visit the [Kawah Ijen crater](https://www.wired.com/2015/09/reuben-wu-blue-fire-crater/) on the island of Java, don’t stand too close. That’s because what looks like molten rock is actually sulfuric gas---which means it smells like rotten eggs. Which also explains why the stuff is blue and glowing. And if you do make that trip, pack a flashlight and a jacket, because you can only see the show at night.
NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI08YearinScience2015-PlutoCloseUp
*Pluto Closeup*. You may have seen Pluto in this gallery already, but have you seen Pluto? I mean really stared into the ripples of the dwarf planet’s Sputnik Planum? In December, NASA released the highest resolution photos New Horizons could take of Pluto. This photo is but one in an [entire 50 mile-wide strip](https://www.wired.com/2015/12/new-horizons-just-sent-its-highest-res-images-of-pluto-yet/) that zooms way in to Pluto’s surface.
Staunch Trump Supporters Are Now Asking if He’s the Antichrist
The Iran war and a series of social media posts, including one depicting Trump as Jesus Christ, have some conservative commentators and fans suspecting the president may be the antichrist.
Makena Kelly
The Best iRestore Deals on Hair Growth and Red Light Therapy
Today, iRestore is offering up to $900 off select devices and up to $1,550 off bundles.
Boutayna Chokrane
Meta Is Warned That Facial Recognition Glasses Will Arm Sexual Predators
More than 70 organizations, including the ACLU, EPIC, and Fight for the Future, say the AI smart glasses feature would endanger abuse victims, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people.
Dell Cameron
The Best Fitness Trackers Check Your Sleep, Heart Rate, or Even Your Blood
With almost ten years of hands-on testing, WIRED knows what separates the best fitness trackers from the rest.
Adrienne So
You Should Be More Freaked Out by Shingles
The viral infection leaves millions with chronic pain, increased stroke risk, and lifelong nerve damage—yet vaccination rates remain dangerously low.
Rosie Taylor
BYD’s Fastest-Charging Car in the World Is Astonishing—in Good and Bad Ways
WIRED witnessed the game-changing Denza Z9 GT charge its battery in just 9 minutes. But the pricing for BYD's premium brand looks like a huge mistake.
Jeremy White
The Best Water Filter Pitchers for PFAS- and Lead-Free Living
Water filters promise the moon—but only some back up their claims. Here are the best filtered-water pitchers for those who prefer their water free of heavy metals and forever chemicals.
Matthew Korfhage
The Internet's Most Powerful Archiving Tool Is in Peril
As major news outlets cut off the Wayback Machine, journalists and advocacy groups are rallying to protect the Internet Archive’s vast collection of web pages.
Kate Knibbs
The Dumbest Hack of the Year Exposed a Very Real Problem
Last April, a hacker hijacked crosswalk announcements to mimic Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Records obtained by WIRED reveal how unprepared local authorities were.
Paresh Dave
AI Agents Are Coming for Your Dating Life
The developers of Pixel Societies are using AI agents to simulate social interactions. It's an attempt optimize the process of choosing new colleagues, friends, and even romantic partners.
Joel Khalili
The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For
AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.
Miles Klee
A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why
Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.
Stephanie Pearson